Event review: NAA Annual Dinner and Awards, Carden Park, 18 October 2012
Press Release
From the Northwest Automotive Alliance
The achievements of some of the leading companies in the region’s automotive industry have been celebrated at the Northwest Automotive Alliance (NAA) Awards, which took place at Carden Park Hotel in Cheshire on 18th October 2012.
The Awards event, sponsored by Bentley Motors, was a vivid demonstration of the success of companies working in the automotive sector in the region. The UK’s automotive sector is a key part of the UK economy, generating around £50bn in annual turnover and delivering £10bn in net value-added to the economy. The North West region is the largest producer of vehicles in the UK, valued at over £10bn per annum.
The overall Northwest Automotive Alliance Company of the Year Award went to Performance Springs Ltd, a Lytham St. Annes-based company that manufactures high quality, precision compression springs for demanding applications within the transport sector, particularly prestige car brands. Performance Springs was recognised for its many strengths, including its partnership approach with customers, design innovation, improved efficiency leading to quicker production times, and its highly motivated employees.
Performance Springs also won the Trade Company of the Year Award, which recognises a company’s export successes. Around 50% of Performance Springs’ products are exported, and this has been a key factor in the current successful growth of the company.
Briggs Automotive Company, manufacturer of the Mono, was the winner of the Innovation Company of the Year Award. The Mono was launched in 2011 and is the world’s first road-legal, single-seat production car. It set the fastest lap time at the 2012 Cholmondeley Pageant of Power event, beating a collection of exotic supercars, many of which cost more than twice the price of the Mono. Following rave reviews from a wide range of motoring media, such as Top Gear, the Mono now has a three-year order book from around the world for over 200 cars.
The Business Excellence Large Enterprise Project of the Year Award was presented to Electron Technical Solutions Limited. Electron is one of the UK’s leading painters of plastic components, working with a range of industries including automotive. The company was recognised for increasing its capacity, including expanding production to produce components for the new Range Rover.
Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWS) was the winner of the Business Excellence Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Project of the Year Award. MWS is the leading independent supplier of commercial vehicle wheels in the UK and Europe. Amongst its range is the xlite forged aluminium wheel, which can save haulage companies significant fuel costs due to its lightweight design. MWS has recently invested heavily in marketing and has also won a large contract to work in partnership with ATS Euromaster as its sole wheel supplier.
The awards, which were sponsored by Bentley Motors, Getrag, Industry Forum, Morson and UKTI, were presented in front of an audience of more than 100 members of the North West automotive community. Carol Holden, NAA Chief Executive, says “These awards show that there are many successful North West automotive companies, ranging from BAC with its world-class Mono supercar, to suppliers who manufacture components that are critical to the success of vehicles such as the new Range Rover. Such companies are so focused on producing quality products that they typically don’t shout about their achievements, so these awards are a welcome opportunity to acknowledge the success of North West automotive businesses.”
The Northwest Automotive Alliance (NAA) is an independent, not-for-profit company which provides a membership service to the automotive community, supporting micro-companies through to the locally-based global vehicle manufacturers. The NAA’s Business Excellence programme works with member companies to help them improve their performance.
The North West economy is currently faced with a significant opportunity due to the unprecedented investment in the UK’s automotive industry. However, for North West companies to remain competitive and win a share of the opportunities, the region’s automotive sector needs to be supported. The Northwest Automotive Alliance is working with automotive suppliers to help them gain maximum benefit from the growth of the UK’s automotive industry, so helping to improve the North West region’s economy.
Find out more at northernautoalliance.com
